Evading the Nazis: The Story of a Hidden Child in Normandy
Leo Michel Abrami was born and raised in Paris, France. After studying at the Sorbonne and the University of Geneva,
he became a rabbi in the United States. He teaches at the Jewish Studies Institute of Phoenix and the Arizona Institute
of Logotherapy. He published an 'Introduction to Logotherapy' in French in 2006, followed ny two other titles.
The Adventures Of Rabbi Arieh: A Destined Mission Around The World
As a Jewish boy in France during World War II, Leo Michel Abrami evaded Nazi persecution when his mother sent him
to live in Normandy disguised as a Catholic boy. When the war ended, he returned to some semblance of a traditional
life. In this engaging autobiography, Rabbi Arieh narrates stories about people, places, and events with both candor
and keen observation. He served congregations worldwide, from the United States to Guatemala and South Africa. He
also served as a prison chaplain in California, counseling murderers such as Charles Manson and Edmund Kemper.
Through this series of captivating anecdotes you will be inspired by his life of service and scholarship.
Evading the Nazis: The Story of a Hidden Child in Normandy
In this story of a Jewish boy who lived in German-occupied France during World War II (and the period that followed
the liberation of Europe by the Allies), the author recounts some of the dangerous situations he faced during these
years and how he went into hiding on an isolated farm in Normandy where he stayed until the end of the war. The
account is interspersed with vivid descriptions of how French people reacted to the presence of a foreign army in their
country and how righteous individuals took upon themselves to save Jews from persecution, often at the risk of their lives.
A moving memoir about survival, inspiration and redemption, May 28, 2009 By
Amy Hirshberg Lederman (Tucson, AZ)
"Leo, or should I say `Michel,' you should know that most French people have a good heart and are ready to do what is
needed to save innocent people and especially children whenever they can."
This tender quote from the author's mother is at the heart of this moving autobiographical story of the journey and survival
of young Leo Abrami during the World War II in German-occupied France. By assuming the identity of a Catholic boy named
`Michel,' Leo survived the Holocaust because of the shelter he was given by a caring, French family and many others along
the way.
Evading the Nazis is more than a story about survival. It is also a story of inspiration and redemption, for both
Leo and the many French people who defied the orders of the French government in order to save the lives of Jews.
Amy Hirshberg Lederman, author of One God, Many Paths: Finding Meaning and Inspiration in Jewish Teachings.
